French far right rises in polls
National Unity Party A big win A conservative victory in the first round of French National Assembly elections will push long-taboo nationalist, anti-immigration politics to the margins of power, according to early forecasts. The Interior Ministry is expected to announce the final results today.
Forecasts by pollsters, which are usually reliable, show the far-right party taking about 34% of the vote, ahead of a left-wing coalition projected at about 29%, with President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Ennahda party and its allies in third place with about 22%.
Turnout was high at around 67%, compared with 47.5% in the first round of the last parliamentary election in 2022. The two-round election will culminate in a runoff between the main parties in each constituency this Sunday. It now looks likely that the National Alliance will emerge as the largest force in the lower house, even if it does not necessarily have an absolute majority.
What’s next: If a new majority of lawmakers emerges against Macron, he will be forced to appoint a political rival as prime minister. If no clear majority emerges, the country could face months of political turmoil. Voting results.
analyze: France and the United States Facing nationalist forces This could violate their international commitments and push the world into uncharted territory, writes Roger Cohen, our Paris bureau chief.
Iran election enters runoff
Iranian voters used Friday’s presidential election to express dissatisfaction with the clerical ruling system, turning out in record low numbers to help Two candidates advance to runoff.
The final choice will be between reformist former health minister Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian and ultraconservative former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili. Neither received more than 50% of the vote, meaning a runoff will be held on Friday to determine who will tackle challenges such as Iran’s troubled economy and the risk of a wider conflict in the Middle East.
The campaign was notable for candidates’ open attacks on the status quo, but turnout reflected pessimism about whether a new president can bring about change: They must govern with the ultimate approval of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
deeper: The following are More information about initial candidates,these are Four key points From the election.
Biden family strategizes at Camp David
President Biden’s family gathers at Camp David this weekend Urge him to continue running Insiders say Biden’s relatives are well aware of how badly he fared against Donald Trump, despite Democratic concerns about his poor debate performance, but they argue he can still prove to the country that he is still capable of being re-elected.
As he considers his next steps, Biden’s advisers have been discussing whether he should hold a news conference or give an interview to defend himself and change his story, but no decision has been made. The campaign plans a potentially crucial call with its national fundraising committee today to calm nerves and get a sense of the situation.
Francesca Mari’s father remembers the trips he took to Europe when he was 14 – Switzerland, Italy, Lugano and Naples. Now, as Alzheimer’s disease robs him of his memory, The two tried to recreate this feeling..
Wandering through Como’s alleys, he exclaimed that the cobblestones resembled “inlaid eggs.” “A perfect description,” Francesca wrote. “We were like a father and daughter, exploring the world on an indestructible eggshell.”
Japan’s first gay dating show
Next week, Netflix will release Japan’s first gay dating reality show “Boyfriend” The series follows the lives of nine men living in a luxurious beachfront villa outside Tokyo. While public sentiment in Japan has shifted in support of gay and transgender people, the country still lags behind other wealthy democracies on LGBTQ rights.
The show’s format is reminiscent of Japan’s most popular romantic reality show, “Terrace House”: wholesome, innocent, and focused as much on friendship and self-improvement as it is on romance.
The show’s executive producer, Ohtaka, said he wanted to “portray gay relationships realistically,” rather than the exaggerated, stereotypical gay characters often depicted in Japanese TV dramas.
That’s it for today. Thank you for reading The New York Times this week. —Natasha
PS Over the past few decades, dogs have gone from being secondary academic animals to the new “research animals”. Emily Anthes writes in Morning Edition.
Contact Natasha and the team briefing@nytimes.com.
